We awoke to find that we were surrounded by tents. There had
been some sort of clearway next to us leading right up
to the main walkway when we went to sleep. Now we had to
negotiate the tent city to get anywhere.

After a rudimentary breakfast, we made for the main arena, where
the first band kicked off at noon. Then we experienced the
wristband debacle, which cost us another hour, then we were told
that we weren't allowed to take bottles into the arena, so naughty
kids that we are we smuggled them in. Ooooooh.

The weather was ace, and the crowds were large.
The first band we caught were called Big Yoga Muffin. Hmm.
We watched the entire Limp Bizkit set, which was a bit ridiculous,
but they were pretty good live. Which is just as well, because
they're shit otherwise.

Amusing toilet story #1:
The outside urinals were set up in rows so that you were facing
blokes engaged in a similar activity to yourself. I was standing
there, finishing the matter in hand when a bloke stumbled over to
the other side of the urinals. We nodded. He said: "What day is
it?"
I didn't laugh, I just said (deadpan): "Friday."
"Oh," he said, a little surprised, "still?"
"Friday all day" I said.

I won't detail all the bands I saw. Many were instantly
forgettable, I manouvered my way into position for the Foo Fighters,
not too far from the front and in the middle. Was I excited? Oh boy
was I!

When the band came on the crowd went beserk. Then the crush.
When I was a young headbanger (headbanger? you are kidding me
aren't you?) there used to be some sort of Code. If someone was
freaking out, you'd let them get out of the crowd. You didn't
drop crowdsurfers, and you didn't trample people that fell over.
I was being thrown around, and I could handle it until it got
ridiculous, and I started to work my way back a bit. Which I could
do because I am a big, burly Australian. (haha) Meanwhile other
people who wanted out of the crush just couldn't move, the crowd
didn't part, even with this Big Burly Australian trying to make way
for them. Not good. The band kept stopping, telling people to
stop killing each other, which has become an issue since the Pearl Jam
tragedy. At one stage Dave Grohl came down the front and helped
someone out of the crowd. Also says something about the security
that the lead singer had to come down to help people out.

Enough of the Negative Nellie, the band did rock, and rock hard!

Primal Scream were on next, and for me were the best band of
Friday. They played a lot of material from their new album. The
set and the lighting were amazing. Bobby Gillespie is a star!
But he still dances like a freak.

Then Oasis came on. A mutant dwarf stole my tambourine just as
I was about to rush the stage, so I stayed in the crowd and
rocked out. The crowd around me consisted entirely of "Lads".
Many of you would've heard about "Laddism", which is this notion
that even non-lads can carry on with laddish behaviour and get
away with it. Oasis are these days the ultimate Lads band.
The heady days of 95/96 are long gone. Fashionable people listen
to shit like Badly Drawn Boy. Anyway, back to laddism...actually
let's forget about it, it's such a dull subject, let's talk about
the Gallagher brothers!